Rod weeder



F. T. COURT ROD WEEDER Aug. 23, 1932.

Filed July 24, 1951 f lb .14

of the spool.

Patented Aug. 23, 1932 i invite ILLILTOIS; ACORPORATION OF ILLINOIS pRon .wnnnnn Application filed J'uly 24, 1931. Serial No. 552,930. 7

My invention relates to rod weeders and more particularly to rod weedershoes 1n which the rotary rod of the weeder 1s sup- V ported.

The object of my invention is to provide a rod weeder shoe comprising amain supporti ng member and a removable bearing member wherein'theremovablebearing member is fixedly held in position in a novel manner topermit of this hearing member being readily re: moved when desired.

Another object of my invention is theprovision of a rod weeder shoecomprising a main supporting member and a removable bearing memberwherein the latter provides a bearing for a flanged spool in whichtherotary rod is supported and the removable'bearing memher is fixedly heldin positionindependently Another object of the invention is to providerod weeder shoe having a removable bearing 7 member with common meansfor holding the removable bearing memberin position and for holding theshoe to its supporting standard. i

The manner in which I accomplish the above objects is described anddisclosed in the following specification and accompanying drawingwherein- I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of theshoe fixed to itssupporting. standard with its removable bearing section and flange-dspool in position; p I

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the main member of the'shoe; 1 Y

Figure i is a cross-sectional view similar V to Fig. 2 with theremovable bearing memher and flanged spool moved to a positionpreparatory to the removal of the bearing member; and,

5 is a cross-sectional fragmentary I view showing a variation oftherelative dimensions of the parts of the shoe with respect to the flangedspool that may be used.

My improved rod weeder shoecomprises a main supporting member 1 whichhas a transverse opening 2 in the forward portion thereof. In the rearwall of the transverse open- STATES PATEN'r orries Farina T. COURT, oralbum, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR r0 DEERE & COMPANY, OFVMOLINE,

ing 2 a vertically extending recess 8 is formed leaving a relativelynarrow forwardly projecting shoulder 4. The front wall of thistransverse opening is recessed to provide a semi-cylindrical surface 5,centrally located to leave an upper shoulder 7 and a lower shoulder 8.

A removable bearing member 9 is fitted i into the opening 2 and isprovided with a centrally positioned semi-cylindrical recess 10 leavingshoulders 11 and 12 which bear against shoulders 7Iand 8 of the mainsupporting member 1. Semi-cylindrical recess 10 in the removable bearingmember 9 with the semi-cylindrical recess in the front wall of thetransverse opening2 forms a cylindrical bearing opening for a spool 12.The two edges of the semi-cylindrical recess in the front wall of thetransverse opening have been countersunk as shown at 5a and 5b to reducethe width of the vertical bearing surface 5 to the same width as thewidth of the removable bearing memberS). The dimension of the width ofthe vertical surface 5, however, is not important and maybe considerablynarrower than the width of the removable bearing member9 since thissurface is subjected to substantially no wear. Spool Y section similarto that of the rod to be supported therein. 1 v 1 1 Removable bearingmember 9 is provided with a rearwardly extendingprojection 15, of v aWidth less than the Width of the main body of the member, leaving ashoulder 16 at one side and a. recess 17 at the other. When theremovable bearing section 9 is in position,

wall of the recess 3.

removable bearing section 9 in position and the standard 19 in therecess 18, the front face 20 of the standard 19 will bein the samelongitudinal vertical planewith the adjacent wall 21 of the projection15of'the removable bearing member. I j

The upper edge of the recess 18, the edge of the wall 22 betweenrecesses 3 and 18, and the rear corners of the upper and lower walls .ofthe transverse openings are set back as shown at 23, 24, 25 and 26 tobring these surfaces in the same plane with, or in a plane at least notextending outwardly of, the plane of surfaces 20 and 21. A- rectangularplate .27 is placed in the set back and bears against surfaces 20 and 21of standard 19 andbearing member 9. This plate is fixedly held inposi'-' tion by means of two bolts 28. and 29 which pass through holes30 and 31 and holes alined therewith in standard 19 and plate 27. Thesebolts also serve to fiX the shoe to the standard 19. By reason ofplate27 bearpositlon.

m a ainstsurface-21 of the removable be'aring member, this member ispositively held in v V In the structure disclosed, bearing member 9 isclosely fitted between shoulder 4 and shoulders 7 and 8., whichpositively assures against the. bearing member twisting out of position.However, I find that for ordinary purposes the abutment againstshoulders 7 and 8 is not essential, the sup; port obtained from plate 27being. alone siiflicient to hold bearing member 9 in position. 3 r

To remove the bearing member 9, the first step is to'remove the plate 27by removing the. bolts 28 and 29. In order to remove bearing,

member 9' it must first be moved transversely sufficiently so that itsface 32 will clear the inner edge 33 of shoulder Bearing meme cber 9-isshown this position. in, Fig. 4. Since the length of'projection 15 isless than the depth of recess 3, the removable" bearing member may begiven a rearward movement into'the recess combined with a clockwiseZt'urning movement looking atQFi gure 4to a position where the rearcorner 34 the projection 15 will clear the corner 35 of the Wall 22,whereupon it may be lifted free of the member 1.

The only function that the wall 22 has is as a reinforcing memberbetween the top 36 and bottom 37 of the shoe member 1. If-desired,

ing member 9 is removed transversely suf- V ficient to clear the edge ofthe shoulder 4 it may be moved directly rearwardly until the projectionsterminating in shoulders 11 and 12 have cleared the flange 13 whereuponit Asbestshown in Fig. 4, it will be seen that the distance'betweenflanges 13 and 14 of the spool is approximately equal to the width ofthe bearing member 9plus the side of the shoulder 16, by reason ofwhich-when flange 14 bears against the adjacent margin ofthesemi-cylindrical surface ,5, and the bearing member 9 is moved intocontact with the inner face of flange 13, it will clear the corner 33 ofthe forwardly projecting shoulder 4. Of course, if the countersink 5awere made'deeper so that the spool could be moved transversely withhearing member 9 a greater extent, the dilference between the distancebetween flanges 13 and 14 and the width of the removable bearing member9 might be less. Furthermore, this difference might also be less,'orwould need to be greater, if the width of the-shoulder 16 weremadenarrower-or wider, respectively. From the above it will be seen that thedistance between the flanges of the spool, the-width of bearing member9, the width of the shoulder 16, and the depth of the countersink 5awith respectto the adjacent surface 32 of bearing member 9 may be variedwith respect to'each other and yet permit the transverse movement ofremovable bearing member 9. It has been determined that any combinationof dimensions will permit of the required transverse movement of bearingmember 9 providing they satisfy the followingformula;

i a0+b;or d, Where:

a, is the distance between the offlanges 13 and 14, and V b, is thedistance between the planes offace 32 andthe plane containing the marginof the semi-cylindrical surface 5 adjacent the countersink 56 when theremovable bearing member is in position, and c, is the width of theremovable bearing member 9, and

d, is the Width ofthe sh0ulder16;

inner faces In applying this formula to the form. shown in Figures 1 to4, Z) is equal to zero and V can be further removed transversely out ofr the opening.

a, the distance between flanges, minus 0, the width of the shoulder 16isequal to (Z.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5 the removable bearing member 15 hasbeen made of a width equal to the distance between the flanges 13 and'14 of spooll2. Countersinks 5a and 5?) are considerably deeper thancountersinks 5a-and 5b of the form of Figures 1 to 4:. Since in themodification shown in Fig. 5 a and c are equal it is necessary that b beatleast equal to or greater than d.

It has been found desirable to make the spool 12 of considerablysmallerdiameter than the diameter of the cylindrical bearing opening in whichit is journaled. Since the shoe carrying the rotary rod is usuallyoperated one or more inches below the surface of the ground all partscome in direct contact with the soil. By making the spool a very loosefit in its bearing opening, the soil while it has free access into thebearing opening also readily finds its way out as a result of whichthere is no tendency for the spool to become frozen in its bearingopening. 7

Because of this loose fit that is usually provided between the spool andits bearing opening the dimensions of the various parts noted above asneeded to satisfy the-above formula can be departed from to a certainextent due to the fact that the spool-can be twisted in its bearingopening thereby permitting a certain amount of transverse movement ofbearing member 9 which could not be had if the spool fitted tightly inits bearing opening. As is seen in Fig. 4:, bearing member 9 could bemoved transversely somewhat further from the position shown in thisfigure if the spool were rotated slightly in a clockwise direction tothe extent permitted by reason of its loose fit in the bearing opening.

Such departure from the dimensions as calculated by the formula is alsoconsidered within the scope of this invention.

Certain types of rod weeders utilize a rod of round cross section. Insuch rod'weeders the use of the spool 12 may be dispensed with by makingthe bearing opening formed by the semi-cylindrical recess 5 and thesemicylindrical recess 10 in bearing member 9 of a diameter slightlylarger than the diameter of the rod itself. In such a construction, ofcourse, no particular relationneed exist between any of the dimensionsin order that the bearing member 9 be removable sinceafter the plate 27is removed bearing member 9 can be moved transversely without meetingany obstruction whatever. 1

l/Vhat I consider my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isset forth in the following claims: i i 1. A rod weeder shoe comprising amain supporting member provided with a transverse opening the rearwallof which is recessed to leave a relatively narrow forwardly projectingshoulder and the front wall of which is shaped to provide an abuttingshoulder andasemi-cylindrical bearing surface, a removable bearingmember adapted to fit into said transverse opening with its front endbearing against said abutting shoulder, saidv bearing member having aprojection at its rear end adapted to extend into the recess in the rearwall of said transverse opening, the width of said projection being lessthan the width of said bearing. member leaving a shoulder onione side tobear against the forwardly projecting shoulder of the main supportingmember with the adjacent side of the projection bearing against the sideof said forwardly projecting shoulder, the length ofsaid projectionbeing substantially less than the depth of said recess whereby saidhearing member may be moved rearwardly into said recess after it ismovedtransversely of the opening sufficiently to clear the forwardlyprojecting shoulder to facilitate the removal thereof, said bearingmember'having a semicylindrical recess in its frontxend which with thesemi-cylindrical bearing surface in the front wall of the transverseopening forms a cylindrical bearing opening, and detachable means forholding said bearing member in position.

2. A rod weeder shoe comprising a main supporting member provided with atransverse opening the rear wall of which is re its rear end adapted toextend into the recess in the rear wall of said transverse opening,

the width of said projection being less than V the width of said bearingmember leaving a shoulder on one side to bear against the for- .Wardlyprojecting shoulder of the main supporting member with the adjacent sideof the projection bearing against the side of said forwardly projectingshoulder, the length of i said projection being substantially less thanthe depth of said recess whereby said bearing member may be movedrearwardly into said recess after it is moved transversely of the 7opening sufficiently to clear the forwardly projecting shoulder tofacilitate the removal thereof, said bearing memberhaving asemicylindrical recess in itsfront end which with thesemi-cylindricalbearing surface in the front wall of the transverse openingforms acylindrical bearing opening, a spool journah;

ed in said bearing opening having a retaining flange at each endoverlying the margin of said bearingopening, the distance between" saidflan es bein a ,roximatelv e ual to the i i D C) i 7 u width of bearingmember plus thewidth bf the shoulder on said bearing memberjanddetachable means for holding said bearing member in position.

3; A rod weeder shoe comprising a main supporting member provided with atransverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed to leave arelatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder and the front wall ofwhich is shaped to'provide an abutting shoulder and a semi-cylindricalbearing surface,

" v a removable bearingmember adapted to fit length of said projectionbeingsubstantially tance between said flanges, the distance be-' lessthan the depth of-said recess whereby said bearing member may be movedrearwardly into said recess'after it'is, moved transversely of theopeningsufliciently to clear the forwardly projecting shoulder tofacilitate the removal thereof, said'bearing member having asemiecylindrical recess in its front end which with the semi-cylindricalbearing surface in the front wall of thetransverse opening forms acylindrical bearing opening, a spool j ournaled in said bearing openingh aving a retaining flange at each end overlying the margins of saidbearing opening, the dis-.

tween'the planeof the face of said bearing membereadjacent the shoulderthereon and the plane of the adjacent'edge of the semicylindricalsurface'in the front wall of said transverse opening, the width of saidbearing member, and the width ofthe shoulder on said bearing, memberbeing proportioned to permit the movement of said bearing membertransversely sufliciently to clear the forwardly projecting shoulderwhereupon said bearing membermay be moved rearwardly to facilitate theremoval thereof. and detachable means for holding said bearing member inposition.

supporting member provided with a trans verse opening the rear wall ofwhich is recessedito leave a relatively narrow forward lv project ngshoulder and the front wall of which is shaped to provide an upper and alower shoulder and a semi-cylindrical bearing surface therebetween, aremovable bearingmen ber adapted to fit into saidtransverse openingwithits front end bearing against said upper and lower shoulders, saidbearing member having a pro ection at J1ts rear end adapted to extendinto the recess of therear A rod weeder shoe comprising a main,

wall of said transverse opening, the width of said projection being lessthan the widthof said bearing member leaving .a shoulder on one side tobear against the forwardly projecting shoulder ofthe main supportingmember with the adjacent side of the projection bearing against the sideof said forwardly projecting shoulder, the length of said proj ectionbeing substantially less than the depth of said recess whereby saidbearing member may be movedrearwardly into said recess after it is movedtransversely of the opening sufliciently to clear the forwardlyprojecting shoulder to facilitatethe removal thereof, said bearingmember having a semi-cylindrical recess in its front end which with thesemi-cylindrical bearing surfaceinfthe front wall of the transverseopening forms acylindrical bearing opening, a spool journaled in saidbearing opening having a retaining flange at each end overlying themargins of saidbearing opening, a, the distance between said flanges,79, the distance between the plane of the face of the removable bearingmember adjacent the shoulder thereon and the plane of the adjacent edgeof the semi-cylindrical surface in the front wall of said transverseopening,0, the width of the removable bearportioned to substantiallysatisfy the formula :'a c b or cl.

5. A rod weeder shoe comprising a main supportingmember provided with atransverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed to leave arelatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder and the front wall ofwhich is shaped to provide an abuttingshouL der and a semi-cylindricalbearing surface, a

removable bearing member adapted to fit into said transverse openingwithits front end bearing against said abutting shoulder, said bearingmember having a projection at its rear end adapted to extend into therecess of the rear wall of said transverse opening, the width of saidprojection being less than the width of the bearing'member leaving ashoulder on one side to'bea'r against the forwardly projecting shoulderof the main supporting member'withthe adjacent side of the projectionbearing against the side of said fOIf wardly projecting shoulder andleaving a recess on the other side, the'length of said projection beingsubstantially less than the depth ing member, and d, the width oftheshoulder a on the removable bearing member, being proof the recess'inthe rear wall of said main supporting member whereby said bearingmember may be moved rearwardly therein afterit is moved transversely ofthe opening sufficiently to clear the forwardly projecting shoulder tofacilitate the removal thereof, said bearing member having a"semi-cylindricalrecess in its front end which with the wall-of thetransverse opening forms a cylindrical bearing opening, and a plateadapted semi-cylindrical bearingsurface'in the front to be detachablysecured to said main supporting member with its front end seated in therecess on the rear end of said bearing member tohold the latter inposition. v

6. In combination, a rod weedershoe comprising a main supporting memberprovided with a transverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed toleave a relatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder and the frontwall of which is shaped .to' provide an upper and a lower shonlder anda'seini-cylindrical bearing surface therebetween, a removable bearingmember adapted to fit into said transverse opening with its front endbearing against said upper lower shoulders, said bearing member having aprojection at "its rear end adapted to extend into the recess of therear wall of said transverse opening, the width of said projection beingless than the width of the removable bearing leaving a shoulder on oneside to bear against the forwardly projectin shoulder of the mainsupporting member with the adjacent side of the projection bearingagainst the side of said forwardly projecting shoulder, the length ofsaid projection being substantially less than I the depth of said recesswhereby said bearing member may be moved rearwardly into said recessafter it is moved transversely of the opening sufficiently to clear theforwardly projecting shoulder to facilitate the removal thereof, saidbearing member having a semicylindrical recess in its front end and withj the recess in the front wall of the transverse as opening forming acylindrical bearing openlng, a shoe supporting standard, said mainsupporting member having a recess in 1ts rear end for receiving thelower end of said standard, the depth of the two recesses 1n the mainsupporting member being so related to the thickness of the standard andthe width of the projection on the bearing member that the outer face ofthe standard and the adjacent side of the projection lie in the samelongitudinal vertical plane, and a plate bearing against the outer faceof said standard and the adjacent side of said projection detachablysecured to the main supporting member.

7. In combination, a rod weeder shoe comprising a main supporting memberprovided with a transverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed toleave a relatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder, a removablebearing member adapted to fit into said transverse opening havingaisemi-cylindrical recess in its front end and having a projection atits rear end adapted to extend into the re cess in the rear wall of themain supporting member, the width of said projection being less than thewidth of the bearing member leaving a shoulder on one side to bearagainst the forwardly projecting shoulder of the main supportin memberwith the adjacent side of the projection bearing against the side ofsaid fcrwar l ro'ectin shoulder y P h and leaving'ja recess on the otherside,fa plate adaptedto be detachably secured to said main supportingmember with its front end seated in therecess in the rear end ofsaidpbearing member to hold'the latterin position, a shoe -7 standard,and means for securing said shoe to said standard. 7 f 8. A rod weeder'shoe comprising a main supporting member provided with a transverseopening the rear wall of which is recessed to leave a relatively narrowforwardly projecting shoulder, a removable bearing spool bearing in saidse1ni-cylindrical recess andhaving flanges overlying the marginsthereof, t-he length of said projection being substantially less thanthe depth ofthe re cess of the rear wall of said main supporting memberwherebysaid bearing member may be moved rearwardly therein after it ismoved transversely of the opening sufficiently to clear'the forwardlyprojecting shoulder to facilitate the removal thereof, and a plate]adapted to be detachably secured to'said main supporting memberwithits'front end seated in therecess in the rear end; of saidbearingmember tohold thelatter in position. i V

' 9; In combination, a rod 'weeder shoe'com-v' prisingamain supportingmember provided; witha transverse openingfthe rear wall of whichisr'ecessed; to leave a relatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder,a removable bearing member adapted to fit int-o saidctrans verse openingand having a semi-cylindrical I10 recess in its front end and aprojection at its re'arend adapted to extend into the rece'ss'in therearwall of the opening in thefmain supporting member, the width of saidprojection being less than the width oflsaid bearingl member leaving ashoulder on one side to bear against the forwardly projecting'shoulderof the main supporting memberwith the adjaj cent side of the projectionbearing against the side 'ofjsaid'forwardly projecting shoul 12 der, andleaving-a recess on the otherside,j a shoe supporting standard, saidmain sup-Q porting member having a recessin its rear; end for receivinthe lower end-of said stand-' ard, the depth 0 the two recesses in themain supporting member being so related to the; thickness of thestandard and the .width ofthe v projection on thebearing member thatthegouter face' of the standard and the adjacent side of the'pro'jectionliein thesame longi 13o tudinal vertical plane, a plate having its frontend seated in the recess in the rear end of said bearing member andbearing against the outer face of said standard, and means for rigidlyfastening said plate, said supporting member andsaid standard securelytogether.

10. A rod weeder shoe comprising a main supporting member provided witha transverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed to leave arelatively narrow forwardly. projecting shoulder, a removable bearingmember adapted to fit into said transverse opening, said bearing member,having a rojection at its rear end adapted to extend into the recess inthe rear wall of said transverse opening,'the width of said rojectionbeing less than the Width of said earing member leaving a shoulderon oneside to bear against the forwardly projecting shoulder of V the mainsupporting member with the'adjacent side of theproje'ction bearingagainst the side of. said forwardly projecting shoulder, the

. length of said projection being substantially less than the depth ofsaid recess whereby said bearing member may be moved rearwardly intosaid recess after it is moved transversely of the opening suflicientlyto clear the forwardly projecting shoulder to facilitate the removalthereof, said bearing member 3Q having a semi-cylindrical recess initsfront end, and detachable means for holding said bearing member inposition. 7

11, A rod weeder shoe comprising a main. supportingmember provided witha transverse opening the rear wall of which is recessed to leave arelatively narrow forwardly projecting shoulder, a removable bearingmember adapted to fit into said transverse opening, said bearing memberhaving a proj ectionat its rear end adapted to extendinto the recess inthe rear wall of said transverse. opening, the width of said projectionbeing less than the width of said bearing member I leaving a shoulder onone side to bear against the, forwardly projecting shoulder of the mainsupporting member with the adjacent side'of the projection bearingagainst the side of said forwardly projecting shoulder and having arecess on the other side, the length 59; of said projection beingsubstantially less than the depth of said recess whereby said bearingmember may be moved rearwardly into. S id recess after it is movedtransversely of the opening sufficiently to clear the,for-. wardlyprojecting shoulder to facilitate the removal thereof, said bearingmember having asemi-cylindrical recess in its front end, and detachablemeans having its front end seated in the recess in the rear end of saidbearing Q9; member for holding said bearing member in position. v V

12.. In combination, a rod weeder shoe comprising a main supportingmember provided 7 with a'; transverse opening the rearwall-of 7 6,5 t whch s, recessed to leave a relatively narrow w re forwardly projectingshoulder, a removable bearing member adapted to fitinto said transverseopening having a semi-cylindrical recess in its front end and having aprojection at its rear end adapted-to extendintothe recess in the rearwall of the main supporting. member, the width of said projection beingless than the width of the bearing member leaving a shoulder, on oneside to bear against the forwardly projecting shoulder of the mainsupportin member with the ad'- jacent side of the pro ection bearingagainst the side of said forwardly projecting shoulder and leaving arecess on the, other side, a plate having its front end seated in the recess in the rear end of said bearing member to hold the latter inposition, a shoe standard, and means for securing said shoe'and saidplate to said standard. r

. j FRANK T. COURT.

